ModCell2

ModCell2 formulates and solves multiobjective optimization problems to design modular microbial cells and identify genetic modifications that optimize production of target molecules using mass-balance-derived objectives.

Key Features:

• Modular Cell Design Concept: Implements a modular cell design framework representing cells with exchangeable production modules for systematic assembly of production-capable strains.
• Multiobjective Optimization: Formulates modular cell design as a general multiobjective optimization problem with flexible design objectives derived from mass balance principles.
• Algorithmic Implementation: Employs algorithms to identify genetic modifications that create modular cells while minimizing tradeoffs among modularity, performance, and robustness.

Scientific Applications:

• Modular cell engineering for industrial production: Guides engineering of microbial strains for industrial production to improve titers, rates, and yields of target molecules.
• Systematic identification of genetic modifications: Enables systematic identification of genetic interventions compatible with multiple production modules.
• Analysis of metabolic architectures: Reveals both intuitive and complex metabolic architectures and informs principles of modular biological system design.

Methodology:

Formulates the design problem as a multiobjective optimization with objectives derived from mass-balance considerations and applies algorithms that systematically explore genetic modifications to enhance modularity, performance, and robustness.